Don your suits of armour and dust off your tiaras - the Maryland
Renaissance Festival is here! Now in its 41st season, the family-friendly
festival celebrates all there is to love about life in 1527 under the reign
of Henry VIII.

Situated on 27 acres in Anne Arundel County, just outside Annapolis,
hundreds of performers bring to life the story of Henry VIII's kingdom in
the Village of Revel Grove. Each year, the story progresses. This season,
visitors will see Henry VIII drift away from his first wife as jousters
dual, villagers celebrate their summer harvest, entertainers delight
curious fans and Henry himself conceals his inner turmoil amid celebrations
at his summer home.

Plus, chance meetings with village stilt walkers, beggars, hermits,
wenches, pick pockets, rakes and rogues add even more opportunities for
merriment, and sometimes tensions, according to the Renaissance Festival's
website.

Visitors can feast on plump, one-pound smoked turkey legs, steak on a
stake, chicken on a lance, hot apple dumplings and much more from the
bountiful summer harvest, all prepared by the king's kitchen in the
village. Six eateries will open their doors to serve hungry patrons at the
festival.

Meanwhile, performers will take to ten stages across the fairgrounds to
show off stunts, illusions and acrobatics that will enchant all ages. Fans
will find old favorites - like Johnny Fox, a sword swallower in his 37th
year with the festival - as well as novel performers, such as Debracey
Productions, a jousting troupe that will do more than duel.

Along the streets, craftsmen will fill their shops with handmade metalwork,
jewelry, stained glass and other treasures. These unique trinkets are
"among the best in the realm of festivals," says the festival's website.

Opening weekend, August 26 and 27, is also Children's Weekend. With the
purchase of an adult ticket, one child ages 7 to 15 will be admitted to the
festival for free. Subsequent weekends also feature themes, including a
Celtic Weekend on September 16 and 17, as well as a Shakespeare Weekend on
September 23 and 24. Families with little ones can't miss Pirate Adventure
Weekend on September 30 and October 1, during which visitors are encouraged
to dress up in their favorite pirate duds.

The festival also features a costume shop that will be open every weekend
for any adult or child hoping to blend in with the villagers. Costumes must
be rented and returned on the same day and cannot be reserved in advance.

The festival will run for nine weekends, plus Labor Day, from August 26 to
October 22. Tickets will be discounted for the first three weekends of the
festival and will range in price from $8 to $18. A two-day pass will cost
$38 for the first three weekends. Throughout the remainder of the festival,
tickets will range in price from $12 to $25 with a two-day pass for $38.
Same-day tickets will go on sale at 9:30 a.m. every morning of the festival
and the opening gate ceremony will begin at 9:45 a.m. with the full fair
opening at 10 a.m. The festival will close at 7 p.m. each evening.

For more information, including other ticket options, directions to the
fairgrounds and a full schedule of events, visit the Maryland Renaissance
Festival website at rennfest.com.

Ellie Hartleb is a contributing writer for
Washington Parent
magazine.